Improvement in mechanical movements



q .MEoUs'E-.M MECHANICAL MOVEMENT. I No. 188,465.. 'Emma March. 20,1877.,

WITNESSE; INVENTOR l ,By jui; .qzaneys i N. PETERS, PHOO-LHHDGKAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UETTED STATES 'A JAMES A. HoUsE, 0E BEIDG'EPET, CONNECTICUT. J

IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANICAh MOVEMENTS.

. specification foi-ming part of Letters Patent No. 1ss,4c5,dated March aaien; application inedA March 1. 1877.v

Movements, of which the following is a speci-r ication My invention principally relates toa lne-v `chanical movement of the class which are operated by treadles, usually denominated footpowers, and my object is to 'provide a cheap, simple, and efficient apparatus, especially designed for driving light machinery, such as scroll-saws, lathes, &c.

My improvements consist in thel combination of a treadle, provided With a spring, to return it to its normal position after being depressed, an endless belt or strap passing at one end around a pulley on the shaft or wheel to be driven, and a griper or clamp carried by the treadle, and acting upon the belt during the movements in one direction of the treadle.

My improvements also consist in the combination of the driven wheel, the endless belt, the pulley connected With the driven Wheel, around which pulley the endless belt passes at one end, a yieldingly-mounted or self-adjusting tension pulley or support, around Which the opposite -end of the belt passes, and a griper or clamp, moving to and fro lengthwise of the belt, and automatically connected Withand disconnected from the belt, so that in moving in one direction the griper seizes and imparts motion to the belt, and releases it on the reverse movement.

My improvements further consist in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, which will hereinafter specifically be designated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the treadle-bar, showing the clamping device or griper. Fig. 4 ,is an inverted plan view of the end of the treadle-bar and clamping device or griper.

The' Wheel A or shaft B to be driven is mounted in a suitable upright or frame, C. The wheel A may be suitably connected by a belt, crank, and pitman or gearing with the Vend around a pulley, E, fast on the shaft. 'The other end of thebelt passes around atensionpulley, F, or, if preferreiha shoe or n0n-ro tating support may be substituted for the lower belt-supporting pulley. This pulleyis shown as mounted upon the outer end of a yield-ing H lever o'r tension-arm, G; but insteadvof employing the lever, the pulley might be yieldingly mounted upon the frame C or base H of y the machine. A treadle, I pivoted. at its heel upon the same rod that secures the tensionlever to the Hoor or base H, is connected at its free'end with the endless strap or belt by means of a griper or'clamp, J. gripes the belt as it is moved in lone direction, but releases it and slips along its surface when moved in a contrary direction. ner, by a succession of impulses, the driven shaft and wheel are kept in motion when desired. To throw up the treadle after being pressed down by the foot of the operator, a coiled spring, K, or other suitable spring is employed.V This spring also serves to'bear down the tension-lever G. A rod, L, carried by a projection, M, on the foot-rest N of the treadle, serves as a guide and holder for the upper endY of the spring, the lower end being received by a recess in the tension-lever. Obviously a plate-spring or elastic cushion might be substituted for the coiled spring, and, when the tension-lever is dispensed with, this spring would bear at one end upon the base of the machine, or upon the floor.

vThe reciprocating belt griper Ior clamp moves back and forth in the arc of a circle of which the pivot of the treadle is the center. The path traversed by the clamp is repre'- sented by dotted lines, Fig. 1, by reference to which it will be seen that the location of the lower pulley or tension-support for the belt is constantly shifting, the position occupied by it relatively to the driven pulley changing to accommodate the variations in the length of PATENT EETcE.

This clamp` y.

In this manthe belt `which take place at every reciprocaas shown in the drawings,

tions, against which the belt ispresseil upon i movement of the rocking section, as well as `tect them from -being displaced', and also guard against the movement of the spring length- Aently of it upon the return stroke.

tion of the griper, owing to the deflection sidewise of the belt, as shown by the dotted lines.

The griper J is, by preference, constructed, of two pieces of metal, one, the main stationary part, being secured to the under side of the treadle en'd, and provided with an opening, O, for the belt to pass through at the side ofthe treadle, and an angular lip or `bearing,fP,` having-serrathe downstroke of the treadle by the remain, ing movable part J of the clamp. This Working member of the clamp is pivoted so as to rock upon the fixed plate, by means of lugs upon both parts of the clamp, through which passes a pivot-pin, p. Aspring, R, constantly presses the heel of the rocking section of the griper outward, thus causing its outer end S to bear upon the belt and clamp it with a. yielding pressure against the lip P of the fixed plate orV stationary part of `the clamp. Thel clampingflange or outer end S of the rocking clamp-section may be corrugated or serrated, like the inner surface ofthe lip P. i

A stud, T, projecting from the fixed clamp` section, and passing through the heel end of the movable clamp-section, servesto limit the to securethe ends `of the spring R, and prowise of the pivotbolt.

From the foregoing description the operation ot' my improvements will be readily understood. Therockingclainp-sectionJ' presses the belt against the tixed lip ot' the main section J upon the downward .movement of the clamp, and releases it and moves independ- Obviously a clamp of construction diering somewhat from that herein described might be employed without departing from thespirit of my invention, and, instead of the treadle I, a pivoted arm, rocked in any suitable manner,

might be employed to reciprocate theclamp. i

I claim as my inventioning at one end around said pulley,

ter being depressed, and y a griper or clamp,

belt.

wheel, the pulley connected therewith, the i i endless belt, passing at one 1 end around said t pulley, a yieldingly-mounted self-adjusting pulley or support, aroundlwhichfthe opposite i end of the belt' passes,` and a `reciprocatingy` griper or clamp automatically connectedwith and disconnected fromcthe belt,"

sion-lever, port for the lower'endxot'` thebelt `carriedby the tension lever, the driven pulley, around i which the opposite end of thcbelt passes, and a clampor griper carried bythe treadle,a1`1d connecting with and imparting` motion to lwthe.

belt,these members being constructed `and fop` erating substantially as hereinbei'ore set forth.

4. The belt'clamp constructed, substantialei 1y as hereinbefore set forth, lof` a main;` fixed` section,slotted for the `passage ofthe belt, and having a roughened or serrated bearing therefor, and the movablesection `pivoted` to the main section, having aflange at its outer end, between which and the bearing on the` main section the belt' passes, and the spring between the two sections, whereby the movable seetion is held in position, to facilitate `the griping ot' the beltl` In testimony whereof I have hereunto su bscribed my name.

JAMES ALFORD HOUSE.

Witnesses:

Guns. H. DIMoND, Fenna. L. HEARsoN.

carried by the treadle, and `facting `upon the l 2. The combination `offthel driven shaftlfrl substantially as hereinbefore set forth, whereby variations i `in the length of the belt areaecommodated. i 3. The combination ofthe treadle, theteni the endless belt, the pulley or sup-y y 

